1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to article carriers adapted to be detachably interconnected to passenger vehicles to carry various articles such as bicycles. More particularly, the invention concerns an improved article carrier which is adapted to be detachably interconnected at the rear of vehicles such as automobiles and trucks having a conventional tubular receiving hitch.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the past, various devices have been suggested for carrying articles such as bicycles, wheelchairs, skis and the like at either the front or the rear of passenger vehicles. Generally these prior art devices are detachably connected to the front or rear bumper of the vehicle by some type of clamping subassembly. Typically the clamping subassembly embodies mechanical fasteners, such as nuts, bolts, washers and the like and various hand tools are required to connect and disconnect the device. Such devices are often cumbersome and inconvenient to use because they require that proper tools be carried in the vehicle at all times to accomplish the interconnection of the carrier structure with the vehicle bumper.
Prior art article carriers such as bicycle carriers also exhibit other drawbacks. For example, they tend to be unstable and fragile and often require straps: or other support members which generally extend forwardly from the top member of the rack to engage something on the vehicle framework, such as the forward edge of a trunk cover or the like. Such devices are often difficult to mount and frequently are limited to use with vehicles of certain structural characteristics. Additionally such devices tend to work loose with normal road vibrations thereby constituting a serious safety hazard.
One of the most successful article carriers ever devised is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,414 issued to the present inventor. Another highly successful article carrier is disclosed in U.S. application, Ser. No. 08/192,733 filed Feb. 7, 1994. This application is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein. The apparatus of the present invention constitutes an improvement of the apparatus described in previously identified U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,414 and patent application Ser. No. 08/192,733. The apparatus of the present invention can be easily and safely interconnected with standard tubular type trailer hitch.
Another prior art article carrier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,373 issued to Lovci. This device is connectable to a vehicle hitch and embodies a swinging arm arrangement of a different character from that of the apparatus of the present invention. Unlike the Lovci device, the swinging support arm of the apparatus of the present invention is disposed in a side-to-side relationship with a fixed support arm and is uniquely provided with a novel safety stop feature that prevents the movable support arm from swinging through an arc greater than ninety degrees.
The improved apparatus of the present invention also uniquely couples the novel swinging arm support of the device with the unique securement and locking means described in U.S. Ser. No. 08/192,733. With this novel construction, the highly undesirable relative movement between the connector member of the article carrier and the square tube trailer hitch within which the connector member is telescopically received is virtually eliminated. Additionally, the improved apparatus of the present invention also prevents unauthorized removal of the article carrier from the vehicle trailer hitch.